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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Pack 7 contains Stages 26 - 30
Stage 26 - Contains slider positioning jigs x2 and the head block.
Retreive the housing as assembled thus far, and the head rod supplied with Stage 24 (or the one supplied with Stage 25; they’re identical).
Peel the protective layers off both sides of both the slider positioning jigs.
Loosen the set screws in the three short timing pulleys by turning their screws slightly counterclockwise with the 2mm Allen key.
With the left panel of the housing facing you, insert the head rod through the hole in the housing, then through the hole in the slider. Hold the slider steady with one hand while you insert the rod with the other.
Keep pushing the rod through the hole until it reaches the hole in the slider opposite, then insert it into the hole in the opposite slider.
If the opposite slider does not align, move it from side to side; you can do this because the pulley set screws have been loosened.
With the front of the housing facing you, hold one of the jigs so that the large hole is closer to you and the small cut-out is at the bottom.
Fit the hook on the end of the jig over the left of the slider rod closest to you, just to the right of the timing pulley.
Fit the head rod into the cut-out on the jig, moving the rod back or forward as necessary. Then fit the jig’s rear hook over the left end of the rear slider rod.
Fit the other jig in the same way to the right side of the assembly. Then tighten the three set screws you loosened earlier to set the position of the timing pulleys and the sliders.
The positions of the left and right sliders have now been set accurately.
Stage complete. In the next stage, use the jigs again to do the same for the front and back sliders.
Keep the head block safe for use later on.
Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 27 - Contains the Heater block and Nozzle.
Take the housing as assembled so far. Turn it so that the rear is facing you. You will also need the head rod that was supplied with Stage 25 – remember to keep the rod clean and avoid getting it scratched.
Loosen the set screws in the three lower short timing pulleys, by turning their set screws slightly counterclockwise with the 2mm Allen key.
Insert the head rod through the hole in the rear of the housing, then through the hole in the slider. Keep on pushing the rod through the hole until it reaches the hole in the slider opposite and insert it into that slider’s hole. If the opposite slide does not align, move it from side to side. Do not let the end of the head rod protrude from the rear slider, as it might hit and damage the limit switch.
Turn the housing so the left side is facing you and get one of the jigs ready. With the hole in the jig closest to you and the cut-out uppermost, fit the jig hook closest to you onto the right end of the slider rod from below.
First, adjust the position of the slider so the head rod fits into the cut-out on the jig. Second, fit the rear hook onto the slider rod opposite from below. Fit the other jig in the same way to the other side of the assembly.
With the jigs in place, tighten the three set screws you loosened earlier to fix the pulleys and accurately set the positions of the sliders.
Remove the jigs once the timing pulley set screws have been tightened.
Stage complete. The positions of the front and back sliders have now been set accurately. Keep the heater block and the nozzle safe, as they will be used in the next stage.
Torsion springs
The torsion springs (supplied with Stage 25) are for use when the timing belts begin to loosen with age. They should not be installed if the belts have not become loose, as their installation might cause damage to the housing.
The method for installing a torsion spring on the timing belt on the right side of the Y-axis is shown as an example in the instructions of how the springs are fitted.
When it is time to fit the belts, fit all four of the torsion springs – one to each timing belt – to maintain even tension in the belts.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 28 - Contains the heat sink, fan draught blocking strip and thermal grease.
Have ready: The head block, supplied with Stage 26, and the heater block and nozzle supplied with Stage 27.
Hold the head block and the heater block as shown in Step 2, so that the two M3 screw holes on the head block are facing you and the cylinder is on the right. The heater block has the 6mm diameter unthreaded hole facing you at the top of the block.
Insert the threaded cylinder into the threaded screw hole in the heater block and rotate the heater block through three complete revolutions clockwise to screw it on. Then screw the nozzle into the heater block with your fingers.Turn the nozzle until it touches the end of the cylinder inside the heater block and cannot be turned any more. The gap between the heater block and the head of the nozzle should be about 1mm.
If the gap between the heater block and the head of the nozzle is either non-existent or more than about 1mm, it must be adjusted as noted in the instructions.
It will be necessary to tighten the nozzle after the idbox has been completed. If the nozzle is tightened up when the printer head is cold, thermal expansion will loosen it when the heater block heats up, leading to problems such as filament leakage. The nozzle will need to be tightened with a spanner before the printer is used, when the printer head is at a working temperature of between 170 and 200 degrees Celsius. Always take great care when the time comes to performing this task!
Stage complete. The heater block and nozzle have been temporarily fixed to the head block. In the next stage, we add the heat sink and cooling fan to the head block.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 29 - Contains the head cooling fan, fan guard and 26mm M3 truss-head screws.
As well as the parts supplied with Stage 29, have ready the head block assembly and the heat sink, the fan draught blocking strip and thermal grease supplied with Stage 28.
In this stage, the head block, which you assembled in Stage 28, is partly painted with thermal grease before you add the heat sink. It’s a good idea to have a dry assembly run (without the grease) to see how the components go together before you do it for real, using the grease.
With the two M3 screw holes in the head block uppermost, apply thermal grease to the area of the head block shown in the Step 2 photo.
Line up the two holes on the heat sink (ringed in red in the photo above left) with the two screw holes in the head block, and place the flat side of the sink onto the head block.
Place the fan draught blocking strip in the heat sink so that it sits in the slot formed by the last row of fins.
Note: Both PLA and ABS can be used in the idbox, but the melting temperatures of the two plastics are different. Depending on the product, PLA has a melting temperature of between 190 to 210 degrees Celsius, while ABS’s is between 200 and 250 degrees Celsius. If you are using low-melting point PLA, it can benefit from being cooled, so the fan draught blocking strip can be left off. When using ABS, you can reduce the likelihood of shrinking and warping by using the fan draught blocking strip.
Hold the cooling fan so its flat underside faces the heat sink, and line up the two holes with the holes in the heat sink, making sure that the fan cables are at the top. Position the fan guard as shown, so its slightly domed side is on the outside. Line the loops up with the holes in the fan, then Put two 26mm M3 truss-head screws in the holes in the head block to connect the fan guard, fan and heat sink. Tighten each screw in turn until they are both tight.
Note: If any of the thermal grease is visible after you’ve tightened the screws, wipe it off.
Stage complete. The heat sink and cooling fan are now attached to the head block. In the next stage, we will add the heater.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 30 - Contains the Cartridge heater, 3mm M3 set screw and a 1.5mm allen key
You will need the printer head assembly – last worked on in Stage 29.
Prepare the head block assembly so the nozzle is on the right and the heater block is uppermost, as shown in the Stage 2 photo.
Insert the metal part of the cartridge heater into the larger of the two holes in the heater block. Then Insert the long end of the 1.5mm Allen key into the hexagonal hole in the 3mm set screw, and screw it into the hole next to the nozzle on the heater block. The cartridge heater will be adjusted at a later stage, so screw in the set screw only enough to hold it in place for now -. Do not fully tighten it.
This completes the assembly of Pack 7. In the next Pack, a thermistor is added that helps to control the temperature of the nozzle, and the X & Y axis motors are assembled into the housing.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Pack 8 contains Stages 31 - 35
Stage 31 - Contains the thermistor, spiral cable wrap, cable clamp and an M4 truss head screw.
Note that the thermistor is fragile, so take care when you handle it.
Get ready the head block assembly that you last worked on in Stage 30.
The hole for the thermistor is about 11mm deep, so use a ruler to measure 11mm from the end of the thermistor and make a mark on the thermistor at that point with a marker.
Position the head block assembly so the fan is at the bottom and the nozzle is on the left. The hole for the thermistor can be seen to the left of the hole for the heater cartridge. Make sure the end of the thermistor does not catch on or get damaged by the rim of the hole as you insert it. Do this by easing or guiding it in using a cocktail stick. Slowly insert the thermistor into the hole until the mark you made on it is level with the rim of the hole. This way you will not push the thermistor too far into the hole and damage it. When it’s up to the mark, gently push in until you can just feel some resistance.
Gather together the three sets of wires as shown above and wind the spiral tube around them for about 5cm. Do not apply excessive force to the thermistor or its wires. Put the wires in the spiral wrap tube into the cable clamp as shown, then screw the clamp into the head block using the 5mm M4 truss head screw. Do not screw the screw too tight, but just enough so the cable clamp does not move.
If the end of the cartridge is touching the heat sink, use the 1.5mm Allen key (Stage 30) to loosen the set screw holding it in position. Move the cartridge so that it only protrudes slightly from the heater block and does not touch the heat sink. When you have checked the position of the cartridge, tighten the set screw again.
Wind the spiral wire wrap tube around the bundled wires until you reach the end of the cooling fan wires. When you’ve finished winding the spiral wrap around the wires, check that the thermistor is still in its correct position and has not come out. Also make sure the cooling fan cable is not touching the cylinder and that the head rod hole is clear.
Store this assembly carefully until you add it to the casing in a later stage.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 32 - Contains the X-axis motor, M4 3mm set screw and a S3M timing pulley.
The type of motor used in the idbox! is a stepper motor. Under electronic control, these motors can move by exact amounts one way or the other. Such a motor can give very precise control and their use in the idbox! enables the printer to create models highly accurately.
Before we start the assembly process, look carefully at the shaft of the motor. You will see that there is a flattened section machined into it. This gives the shaft the approximate shape of the letter D when viewed end on.
Put the motor on your work surface with the shaft facing right. Insert the motor shaft into the hole in the pulley, so that the flat section of the shaft and the screw hole for the set screw in the pulley both face upwards. Align the end of the shaft with the end of the pulley. The pulley should be on neither too far nor too little. If it is on too far, the motor might not run smoothly. Make sure the end of the shaft and the end of the pulley align.
Insert the long axis of the 2mm Allen key into the hexagonal hole in the head of the set screw .Insert the set screw into the screw hole in the timing pulley, as shown, and then turn the Allen key clockwise to tighten it. Check again that the end of the shaft is aligned with the end of the timing pulley, and that the set screw is tightened up against the flat section of the motor shaft.
In the next stage, the motor is attached to the housing.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 33 - Contains brackets (5mm thick), Bracket (4mm thick), M3 truss head screws (24mm), M3 flat washers and M3 spring washers.
Note: You will use four of the flat washers, but the other four are provided if you need to fill a larger gap between the screw heads and the housing.
For this stage, you will need the printer housing and the X-axis motor that you last worked on in Stage 32.
Peel the protective covering from both sides of the three brackets supplied with this stage.
Put a spring washer and a flat washer onto one of the 24mm M3 truss head screws. Repeat this for the other three screws.
Put the pieces together as shown in Step 4, with the 5mm brackets on the outside and the 4mm bracket on the inside. The three brackets make a ‘U’ shape.
Turn the housing so the rear panel is facing you. The large hole on the right has four oblong screw holes (ringed in red). Position the ‘U’ shape as shown, and the screw holes in the brackets will align with the screw holes in the housing.
Insert the four 24mm M3 truss head screws (with their washers) into the oblong holes in the housing. Now hold the motor so the connector is at the bottom and hook the small timing belt over its pulley, as you offer up the motor from the inside of the casing. Hold the bracket assembly and the truss head screws in position. Tighten them with your fingers so that they are done up enough to hold the motor in position.
Push down on the top of the motor firmly but gently with your thumb while you tighten the screws with a screwdriver. You do this to move the screws down in their oblong screw holes and take up any slack in the timing belt. (If there is a gap between the heads of the screws and the housing, add one of the four extra flat washers to each of the screws).
When the motor is attached, check the tension again in the small timing belt. It should be about the same as in the large timing belts.
Look at the motor from the left of the housing to check the belt alignment. If it is not parallel with the housing’s rear panel, slide the belt along the large pulley at the top until it is. Check the belt’s tension after aligning, and adjust as required.
The X-axis motor is now attached to the housing. In the next Stage, we begin work on the Y-axis motor.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 34 - Contains the Y-axis motor, M4 3mm set screw, and a 3: S3M timing pulley.
As in Stage 32, the assembly of the timing pulley onto the Y-axis motor shaft is relatively straightforward. Just remember to align the flat surface of the motor shaft with the screw hole for the set screw that holds the pulley onto the shaft. And make sure the pulley is on the right way round and that the end of the motor shaft is level with the end of the pulley; if it’s not in the correct position the motor can run roughly.
Insert the motor shaft into the pulley so that the flat section of the shaft and the screw hole in the pulley are on the same side. Align the end of the shaft with the end of the pulley. Put the set screw on the Allen key and insert it into the screw hole, and tighten it by turning clockwise. Check again that the end of the shaft is aligned with the end of the timing pulley, and that the set screw is tightened up against the flat section of the motor shaft.
Checking the function of the X-axis motor
The X-axis motor was attached to the frame and the timing pulley in Stage 33; we can now check out how it’s functioning. With the right of the printer housing facing you, slowly move the left and right sliders back and forth together using one hand on each. This will rotate the motor. When in operation, the sliders are moved by the motor but the sliders will also move the motor and you can check that the pulleys and belts are doing their job. The slider rods have not yet been lubricated, so do not move the sliders too vigorously!
The pulley is now attached to the shaft of the Y-axis motor. In the next Stage, the motor is added to the right side of the housing.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 35 - Contains brackets (5mm thick), bracket (4mm thick), M3 truss head screws (24mm), M3 flat washers and M3 spring washers.
Get ready the housing for the printer and the Y-axis motor that you last worked on in Stage 34.
Peel the protective layers off both sides of the three brackets supplied with this stage.
Put a spring washer and then a flat washer onto one of the 24mm M3 truss head screws. Repeat this for the other three screws supplied with this stage.
Put together the three brackets, as shown, to make a ‘U’ shape, with the two 5mm brackets on the outside and the 4mm bracket on the inside.
Turn the printer so that its right and front panels are facing you. The large hole on the right (outlined in red above left) has four oblong screw holes (ringed in red above right), around it. From the inside of the housing, offer up the stack of brackets with the ‘U’ shape the correct way up so the screw holes align with the ones on the housing.
Insert the four 24mm M3 truss head screws (with their washers) into the oblong holes in the housing.
Now hold the motor so the connector is at the bottom and hook the small timing belt over its pulley as you offer up the motor from the inside of the casing. Hold onto the brackets and truss head screws to stop them falling off while you do this.
Screw the truss head screws into the screw holes in the motor using your fingers, so they are tight enough to hold the motor in place. Push down on the top of the motor firmly but gently with your thumb while you tighten the screws with a screwdriver. By pushing the motor down, you move the screws down in their oblong screw holes and take up any slack in the timing belt. (If there’s a gap between the heads of the screws and the housing, add one of the four extra flat washers to each of the screws).
Check to see whether the small pulley is touching the timing belt coming from the Y-axis motor. If it is, loosen the pulley’s set screw and move the pulley until it clears the belt, and then re-tighten the set screw.
Look at the motor from the rear of the housing to check the belt alignment. If it’s not parallel with the housing’s right panel, slide the belt along the large pulley at the top until it is. Check the belt’s tension after aligning, and adjust as required. It should be about the same as that of the large timing belts.
The Y-axis motor is now attached to the housing. In the next Stages, we'll be adding the head assembly onto the rods, fitting the control circuit board and driver circuit board, attaching the cables for the X and Y axis motors & fitting themotor driver boards, and fitting the Z axis motor.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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